Swept Away by the Venetian Millionaire

She should not have pursued the subject. A virtual curtain seemed to close behind his eyes. The warmth and camaraderie they’d shared on their walk over had suddenly dissipated. She wasn’t surprised when he quickly changed the subject as they approached the appropriate line for entry.

“Be sure to note the influences of other eras in the artwork,” he reminded her.

“I’ll try.”

He gave her a small bow when they came to a stop at the place she was to meet her guide. “Enjoy your tour, bella mia.”

With that, Vito turned and walked away. Without so much as a goodbye.

* * *

Vito didn’t know how long he stood there, watching her from a distance. He tried to tell himself he was simply being conscientious, making sure she was met by her tour guide. He couldn’t help noticing, however, that aside from an elderly man reading a newspaper and Vito himself, she was the only one in the entire square without a companion. And she looked nervous, shifting from one foot to the other. Despite her words at the studio earlier, Maya was clearly feeling awkward and out of place standing there alone.

But what business was it of his, really?

Vito told himself he should turn away, walk back to his studio and not give Maya Talbot another thought. The fact that he was even wavering over doing so was absolutely Leo’s fault. That meddlesome cousin of his was the only reason Vito was even entertaining the notion currently nagging at him.

Leo’s words echoed in his head. She’s only here in Venice for a few days. What would be the harm in accompanying her?

On the surface, it appeared such an innocuous question. Perhaps there was no need to dig too far into it. Maya didn’t know a soul in Venice. They’d met by accident and had gotten to know each other somewhat. Maybe they were even on their way to becoming friends. Truly, a genuine friend would try and help another out of an awkward and uncomfortable situation.

That’s all this was, he assured himself. He made his way back to where she stood before he could give it much more thought.

She jumped when he tapped her on the shoulder.

The smile that greeted him when she turned around nearly knocked him off his feet. Maybe this hadn’t been such a great idea. “Vito? You’re back!”

He didn’t often lie, but it seemed to be the best course of action at the moment. For the sake of her pride. “Leo just called me from the studio. It appears I’ve had a sudden cancellation of a previously planned appointment,” he fibbed. “I find myself free for the afternoon.”

Her eyes grew wide with shock. And pleasure. “You do?”

He nodded. “Since I’m already here, I wonder if I may take advantage of your extra tour ticket. That is, if I won’t be intruding,” he added quickly.

The smile she gave him was as bright as a sunny Venetian morning. “Why let a perfectly good tour ticket go to waste?”

He offered her his elbow. “Why indeed?”

CHAPTER SIX

IT NEVER CEASED to amaze him, the sheer wonder and awe on the face of someone entering the Basilica San Marco for the first time. Maya was no exception. Her jaw had been agape since they’d stepped through the arched doors. Her reaction could best be described as that of a small child experiencing her first amusement park ride.

But it was his own reaction that came as a bit of a surprise. Vito felt pleasure warm through his chest at the sight of her as she took in the majestic beauty surrounding them.

He’d been right about the tour guide. A disheveled and distracted university architecture student, barely out of his teen years. He’d introduced himself as Angelo. Now, as they entered the ancient church, the glances the young man kept throwing in Vito’s direction were a clue that the student recognized who he was. Vito appeared to be making him nervous.

Vito wished for some type of miracle that might somehow have the whole cathedral cleared except for Maya and himself—including their distracted guide.

“It’s breathtaking,” Maya uttered, her voice barely above a whisper. But he managed to hear her. She was taking it all in with an appreciation so often lacking in foreign tourists. Not many of them appreciated the sheer genius of the artwork on the domed ceiling. The religious symbolism so craftily on display was lost on most.